medicine

Out of a total Pakistani population of 180 million, almost 18 million Pakistanis are suffering from diabetes. This alarming situation urges Dr. WajihBukhari to apprise the Pakistani population of the ins and outs of this deadly disease.

Dr. WajihBukhari is a medical doctor and working as a Clinical research fellow at Griffith University, Queensland, Australia. He explains the causes of diabetes, its medical treatment and precautions. Different types of diagnostic tests are also discussed. This 60 minutes long series of digital board based lectures are a must watch for every Pakistani who wishes to know more about diabetes.

Let there be Light: An Overview of Solid State Laser Technology (Dr. TayyabImran)

From Theodore Maiman’s small ruby laser to ultrafast Ti:Sapphire laser technology, a solid state laser technology revolution, earning important roles in scientific research, engineering, medicine, materials working, and a host of other applications.

The Use of Lasers in Opthalmology (Dr. Nadeem H. Butt)

Laser is a special light with variable wavelength and variable effect on different structures of the eyeball. The effects include ablation, disruption and coagulation. According to the wavelength and effects, the lasers can be grouped as Green laser, YAG laser, Excimer Laser and CO2 Laser.

These Lasers are used for different disorders of the eye which range from disorders of the ocular surface to the disorders deep inside the eyeball including retina.

There are many diseases which used to remain untreated or had interventrial and surgical treatments. Most of them can now be treated with ease and comfort on day care basis not requiring admission and hospitalization.

The Physics, delivery system, uses, effects and after effects of lasers will be covered in the presentation.

Laser Assisted Pump-probe Studies of Atoms (Dr. AslamBaig)

Laser assisted spectroscopic technique have been exploited to study the highly excited states of atoms; a pump probe experiment. In this technique, at least two dye lasers are required; the first dye laser serves as an exciting laser whereas the second laser serves as an ionizing laser. A Nd:YAG laser SHG (533nm, 500 mJ) and THG (355 nm, 200 mJ) is used to pump the TDL-90 dye laser (line width »0.08 cm-1) and locally fabricated dye lasers (line width »0.25 cm-1) for multi-step or multi-photon excitation/ ionization of atoms. The ions are detected either in a thermionic diode ion detector or in an atomic beam apparatus. We have also utilized the polarization properties of the laser beams to measure the photoionization cross sections of the excited states of atoms. A few examples of the spectra will be presented in addition to the latest experimental results on the photoionization of atoms from the Free Electron Laser Source (FLASH).

Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore

Abstract:

Biotechnology has affected different aspects of medicine in diverse ways from prevention to treatment. Great progress in new fields of medicine today, is due to recent developments in molecular biotechnology. Recombinant DNA technology or Genetic Engineering as basic tools of molecular biology has revolutionized medical science. The use of biotechnology in medicine is growing rapidly and is opening opportunities to develop new, more effective drugs and other therapeutics. Studying the genetics of humans is allowing us to understand what happens when genes go wrong in inherited diseases and to start to develop new therapies that treat the genetic cause, not the symptoms. By studying the genetic make-up of viruses, bacteria, or fungi, we can understand how they cause disease and develop better drugs and antibiotics that target them more specifically. These biotechnological approaches will be explored in different areas of medicine including prevention, pathology, diagnosis and treatment of the diseases during this talk.

Resource People:

Speaker

Fazli Rabbi Awan

Department of Biochemistry, Oxford University

Chair

Dr. Waheed Akhtar

Director, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab